Heating-type vacuum press device

ABSTRACT

A heating-type vacuum press device which has a small vacuum isolation chamber in which pressing is performed under vacuum without damage to seal packing, while heating. A lower fixed frame and an upper movement frame constitute a wall portion of the isolation chamber. A gas-tight sliding mechanism ensures gas-tightness between the lower fixed frame and the upper movement frame. Thereby, the isolation chamber is formed in a space defined by the lower fixed frame, the upper movement frame, a base and a fitting plate. The lower fixed frame surrounds a receiving table equipped with a heater for a workpiece, and is arranged on the base such that the lower fixed frame is spaced from the receiving table. The upper movement frame is hanged from the fitting plate such that the upper movement frame is spaced from a pressing plate equipped with a heater, and surrounds the pressing plate. The isolation chamber is sucked to vacuum, and a workpiece on the receiving plate is pressed under heating and vacuum at a high temperature with a low thrusting force by descending the pressing plate. The present apparatus is suitable for bonding multi-functional laminated films having high heat-resistant temperature.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an apparatus for pressing under vacuum,while heating, in the state that an isolation chamber is formed byoperating a press unit and high vacuum is realized in the isolationchamber. Particularly, the invention relates to the vacuum pressapparatus suitable for pressing under high temperature and extremely lowpress pressure.

BACKGROUND ART

The present applicant formerly proposed a vacuum press apparatus foreffecting press adhesion under heating at high vacuum while evacuationis performed, in bonding IC cards, print circuit boards, polarizationlenses. See JP-A-2002-96199. In this apparatus, however, a sliding frameto form the isolation chamber is directly contacted with a jigcontaining a heater. Since the heat-withstanding temperature of sealpackings (O-rings or the like) provided in the sliding frame is in a lowtemperature range of around 200° C. Therefore, such an apparatus cannotbe used in case that pressing needs to be done under high temperatureshigher than that temperature.

Under the circumstances, heretofore, high-temperature pressing needed tobe done in a large-size fixed vacuum apparatus having an gas-tighton/off door provided with a seal packing containing a heat-resistantgrease. Thus, since products need to be put into and removed from theapparatus having high interior temperature via the door, it wastroublesome and very dangerous.

Further, recently, when a polarization film is to be bonded on a liquidcrystal panel or a touch panel, it is necessary to prevent large presspressure from being applied onto the liquid crystal panel sealed betweenthin glass plates. Furthermore, when a film or a non-hardened greenceramic sheet is to be bonded onto a thin hollow frame body, a softbonded material is deformed by pressing pressure. Thus, there is anincreasing demand that bonding is effected under extremely low pressure.In addition, with progress in electronic devices, need to form laminatedfilms each consisting of plural thin functional films has beenincreasing. In the case of the laminated films for condensers, if thelaminated film is pressed under large press pressure until the materialsare not uniformly heated, an interior vapor deposited film may becracked or an uneven adhesive may correspondingly deform an opposingfilm. Therefore, it has been demanded that the laminated film is pressedunder low pressure and then adhered fast by increasing the presspressure after heating.

Further, according to the conventional heating-type vacuum press bondingapparatus, workpieces to be processed need to be fed onto and removedfrom a workpiece-receiving table in the state that upper and lower jigsare opened from each other. Since the upper and lower jigs are providedwith high-temperature heaters in a heated state, there is a danger inworking, such as burn injure because a space between them is small evenin the opened state.

The present invention is aimed at a heating-type vacuum press apparatuswhich realizes forming an isolation chamber of a narrow space insideupper and lower jigs with high vacuum through operation of the pressapparatus and pressing workpieces under heating at high temperatures,without using a large-size vacuum device in which workpieces arerequired to be charged and removed in the state that a door is openedevery time even if the workpieces need to be pressed under vacuum athigh temperatures of 300 to 400° C. The invention is also aimed atpreventing damage of a seal packing of a wall constituting the isolationchamber.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a heating-typevacuum press apparatus which enables pressing under heating at extremelylow pressure to low press pressure.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide aheating-type vacuum press apparatus which enables workpiecs to be fedonto and removed from a receiving table without working danger such asburn injury.

The present inventor has made repeated investigations, and discoveredthat further improvement would be preferred.

That is, when a workpiece is to be pressed under application of pressurein the vacuum heating apparatus in which the isolation vacuum chamber isto be formed, thrusting force for press processing is applied onto theworkpiece. Since a large weight is applied to upper members of theisolation chamber-constituting members, the heater, a press plate, etc.under vacuum, the apparatus is suitable for pressing under high pressureas in a case where a considerable weight needs to be applied onto theworkpiece.

However, as to materials to be bonded which are likely to be cracked ordamaged, as in cases where films are to be bonded to film condensers,film cells, touch panels or liquid display panels or polarizing filmsare to be bonded onto liquid crystal glasses, press deformation is hatedand high pressure pressing is hated in the state that an adhesive or acuring agent is not thermally fused. In a case of bonding softhalf-cured green ceramic sheets together, there occurs a problem thatthe films are thinly stretched by pressing under high pressure as in acase with clay and thus a uniform thickness is not attained. Therefore,pressing needs to be performed under heating at an extremely subtle lowpressure.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Under the circumstances, there is a vacuum press apparatus in which acylinder mechanism for the formation of an isolation chamber is usedseparately with a press cylinder mechanism for pressing workpieces. Inthis press apparatus, however, weight of an upper press member, itsfitting plate, a cylinder rod, etc. as well as an external pressureapplied onto the isolation chamber due to vacuum sucking act. Thus, thisapparatus is not suitable for a case where subtle adjustment and controlin pressing needs to be performed with a low thrusting force asmentioned above.

Therefore, another aspect of the present invention is to provide aheating-type vacuum press apparatus which can press under heating andpressure a workpiece to be worked which requires subtle adjustment andcontrol of pressing with the low thrusting force.

The heating-type vacuum press apparatus according to the presentinvention comprises

-   -   (1) a base;    -   (2) a workpiece-receiving table arranged on the base and        equipped with a heater;    -   (3) a lower fixed frame arranged on the base such that the lower        fixed frame surrounds the receiving table, while being spaced        from the receiving table;    -   (4) a press plate opposed to the receiving table and equipped        with a heater;    -   (5) a fitting plate from which the press plate is hanged;    -   (6) a fitting plate/press plate driving mechanism adapted for        vertically moving the fitting plate and the press plate and        pressing the press plate on the workpiece on the receiving table        by moving down the fitting plate and the press plate;    -   (7) an upper movement frame hanged from the fitting plate such        that the upper movement frame surrounds the press plate, while        being spaced from the press plate, open end faces of the upper        movement frame and the lower fixed frame being opposed to each        other, and the upper movement frame being approachable to or        space from the lower fixed frame;    -   (8) a gas-tight sliding mechanism for ensuring gas-tightness        between the lower fixed frame and the upper movement frame, an        isolation chamber being defined by the lower fixed frame, the        upper movement frame, the base and the fitting plate through the        gas-tight sliding mechanism;    -   (9) a sliding mechanism for driving the gas-tight sliding        mechanism, the sliding mechanism sliding the gas-tight sliding        mechanism to form the isolation chamber; and    -   (10) a suction hole opened to the isolation chamber and adapted        to be connected to a vacuum device, the isolation chamber being        sucked to vacuum via the suction hole.

According to the heating-type vacuum press apparatus of the presentinvention, gas tightness is ensured between the lower fixed frame andthe upper movement frame with the gas-tight sliding mechanism by thesliding mechanism, the isolation chamber is formed in the space definedby the lower fixed frame, the upper movement frame, the base and thefitting plate, the isolation chamber is sucked to vacuum via the suctionhole connected to the vacuum device, the workpiece placed on thereceiving table can be pressed under vacuum heating by means of thefitting plate/press plate driving unit.

According to the heating-type vacuum press apparatus of the presentinvention, the frame body for the formation of the isolation chamber(the lower fixed frame, the upper movement frame and the gas-tightsliding mechanism) is spaced from the heating sections with the heaters.Thus, the frame body is not influenced directly from the heatingsections becoming high temperatures. Consequently, the heating-typevacuum press apparatus of the present invention enables vacuum pressingat high temperatures of e.g., 300 to 400° C. or more, for example. In amore concrete embodiment of the present invention, the frame body forthe formation of the isolation chamber equipped with O-rings and otherseal packings to maintain gas-tightness inside the isolation chamber isisolated from the heating sections without contacting the heatingsection. Thus, the frame body is not influenced directly from theheating sections becoming high temperatures.

The vacuum isolation chamber is formed by the base, the fitting plate,the lower fixed plate and the upper movement frame through descendingthe fitting plate toward the base. The very narrow vacuum isolationchamber can be formed by minimizing the vertical width and the planarshape of the isolation chamber for the formation of the isolationchamber. Therefore, as compared with the conventional apparatus, thevacuum pump can be miniaturized and the press apparatus itself can bemade largely more compact and lighter.

The present invention is directed to the following workings, forexamples.

(a) A laminated sheet of polyfunctional films having a highheat-resistant temperature in such a case where a heat-resistant film ofsuch as a polyimide is fusion bonded, with a similar material such as aheat-resistant adhesive or a polyimide, to that surface of a thin coppersheet or stainless sheet bonded to a ceramic plate on which surface isformed an etched circuit.

(b) Package molding in which a number of chips such as condensers andresistors in a form of a laminated films are formed on a ceramic plateand the ceramic plate is wrapped with a thermosetting powdery resinthrough fusion

(c) Heat press molding under vacuum of various kinds of engineeringplastics

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional entire front elevation view of a firstembodiment of the heating-type vacuum press apparatus according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially sectional entire front elevation view of a secondembodiment of the heating-type vacuum press apparatus according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a functionally-explaining view of the apparatus of FIG. 2showing a state that a vacuum isolation chamber is being formed.

FIG. 4 is a functionally illustrating view of the apparatus in FIG. 2,showing a state that a workpiece to be processed is pressed underheating.

FIG. 5 is a partially sectional entire front elevation view of a thirdembodiment of the heating-type vacuum press apparatus according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is a partially sectional entire front elevation view of a fourthembodiment of the heating-type vacuum press apparatus according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 7 is a partially sectional entire front elevation view of a fifthembodiment of the heating-type vacuum press apparatus according to thepresent invention.

FIGS. 8 a and 8 b are functionally illustrating views of the apparatusin FIG. 7, and show a step for forming a vacuum isolation chamber and astep for butting a lower end face of an upper movement frame to an upperend face of a lower fixed frame and undergoing vacuum sucking.

FIGS. 9 a and 9 b are functionally illustrating views of the apparatusin FIG. 7, and show a step for pressing a workpiece to be worked and astep for pulling up the workpiece, respectively.

FIG. 10 is a partially sectional entire front elevation view of a fifthembodiment of the heating-type vacuum press apparatus according to thepresent invention.

FIGS. 11 a and 11 b are functionally illustrating views of the apparatusin FIG. 10, and show a step for forming a vacuum isolation chamber and astep for butting a lower end face of an upper movement frame to an upperend face of a lower fixed frame and subjecting the vacuum isolatingchamber to vacuum sucking, respectively.

FIGS. 12 a and 12 b are functionally illustrating views of the apparatusin FIG. 7, and show a step for pressing a workpiece to be worked and astep for pulling up the workpiece, respectively.

FIG. 13 is a partially sectional entire front elevation view of aseventh embodiment of the heating-type vacuum press apparatus accordingto the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be explained below in moredetail.

(1) Base, Workpiece-Receiving Table

The workpiece-receiving table comprises a receiving table portion havingan installation face on which a generally thin workpiece is to beinstalled and a supporting rod supporting the receiving table above thebase. A heat-insulating-plate may be interposed between the supportingrod and the receiving table. The receiving table portion may contain abuilt-in heater or a surface portion of the receiving table portion maybe integrally bonded to a back-side heater plate. Further, it may bethat the supporting rod is fixed to a supporting plate to form anintegral assembly of the supporting plate, the supporting rod and thereceiving table, and the assembled body is fixed to the base via thesupporting plate. By so doing, the fixing of the receiving table to thebase can be simplified.

(2) Press Plate, Fitting Plate, Fitting Plate/Press Plate-Driving Unit,Upper Movement Plate

The fitting plate/press plate-driving unit is fixed to a machine body ofa frame or the like of the vacuum press apparatus, and the fitting plateand the press plate are vertically movable by this driving unit. Thepress plate is hanged from the fitting plate, and the upper movementplate is also hanged from the fitting plate, while the upper movementplate is spaced from the press plate and surrounds the press plate.“Fitting plate/press plate driving unit”, “hangingly provided” and“hanged” encompass the following embodiments.

(a) The fitting plate is directly connected to the fittingplate/pressing plate-driving unit, and the pressing plate and the uppermovement frame are fixed directly to the fitting plate.

(b) When the fitting plate/pressing plate-driving unit is functionallyconnected to the pressing plate and the pressing plate is downwardlymoved, the fitting plate follows the pressing plate. On the other hand,when the pressing plate is upwardly moved by the driving unit, thefitting plate is also correspondingly moved upwardly. In this case, itmay be that the upper movement frame is fixed to the fitting plate sothat the upper movement frame may move together with the fitting plate.Alternatively, the upper movement frame may move together with thepressing plate.

The pressing plate may be hanged from the fitting plate via a supportingrod. A heat-emitting plate may be interposed between the supporting rodand the fitting plate or between the supporting rod and the pressingplate. In the former case, the fitting plate/pressing plate-driving unitmay be connected to the heat-emitting plate. The pressing plate maypossess a built-in heater, or a pressing plate portion may be integrallybonded to a back-side heater plate.

(3) Suction Hole, Vacuum Device

The suction hole may be provided in any one of the fitting plate, thebase, the upper movement frame, the lower fixed frame and the slidingframe constituting the isolation chamber so long as the suction holeallows the interior of the isolation chamber to be sucked to vacuum bythe vacuum device.

In the following, preferred embodiments of the heating-type vacuum pressapparatus according to the present invention will be exemplified. Anycombination of them will be a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention so long as no contradiction occurs.

(1) The gas-tight sliding mechanism comprises a gas-tight slidingportion provided at an upper end of the lower fixed frame and agas-tight sliding portion provided at a corresponding lower end of theupper movement frame, said gas tightness is ensured between the lowerfixed frame and the upper movement frame by gas-tightly sliding thegas-tight sliding portion of the upper end of the lower fixed frame withthat of the lower end of the upper movement frame, and the fittingplate/pressing plate-driving mechanism is used in combination as thedriving unit.

(2) The gas-tight sliding mechanism is a sliding frame body verticallyslidable fitted around an outer peripheral face of either the lowerfixed frame or the upper movement frame, said sliding mechanism is asliding mechanism adapted to vertically slide the sliding frame body,gas tightness is ensured among the fixed frame, the sliding frame bodyand the upper movement frame, the isolation chamber is formed in a spacedefined by the lower fixed frame body, the sliding frame, the uppermovement frame, the base and the fitting plate.

The sliding frame body is slidably fitted around the outer peripheralface of either the lower fixed frame or the upper movement frame, butthe isolation chamber to be sucked to vacuum is not formed in thisstate. The sliding mechanism slides the sliding frame body upwardly ordownwardly so that gas tightness is ensured among the lower fixed frame,the sliding frame body and the upper movement frame and the insulationchamber is formed in a space defined by the lower fixed frame, thesliding frame body, the upper movement frame, the base and the fittingplate.

In the heating-type vacuum press apparatus according to the presentembodiment, when the sliding mechanism slides the sliding frame body,gas tightness is ensured among the lower fixed frame, the sliding framebody and the upper movement frame, the insulation chamber is formed inthe minimum space defined by the lower fixed frame, the sliding framebody, the upper movement frame, the base and the fitting plate, and theinsulation chamber is sucked to vacuum through the suction holeconnected to the vacuum device. Thereby, the workpiece placed on thereceiving table is pressed by the fitting plate/press plate-drivingmechanism under heating and vacuum.

The inner peripheral face of at least an open end of the sliding framebody is configured to closely slide with respect to the outer peripheralface of the corresponding upper movement frame or lower fixed frame. Inthis case, it may be that a stepped portion is provided at the open endof the outer peripheral face of the corresponding upper movement frameor lower fixed frame, and the inner peripheral face of the sliding framebody is closely slidable to the outer peripheral face of the steppedportion. For example, it may be that a stepped portion is formed at thelower end of the upper movement frame, the upper end portion of thesliding frame body is slidably butted to the stepped portion withoutsliding the outer peripheral face of the upper movement frame as thesliding frame body moves up.

The sliding frame body-driving mechanism can be fitted to the base orthe frame above the base, for example, and be constituted by aconnection rod functionally connected to the sliding frame body and adriving source such as a pushup or pushdown cylinder for verticallymoving the connection rod.

(3) The press plate is connected to the fitting plate/pressplate-driving mechanism. When it descends the press plate, the uppermovement frame and the fitting plate move downwardly following the pressplate, and the open end faces of the upper movement frame and the lowerfixed frame butt to each other at the pressing position. Thereafter, thedriving mechanism further descends the press plate to effect pressworking. On the other hand, as the driving mechanism moves the pressplate upwardly, the upper movement frame and the fitting plate are movedupwardly by the press plate.

In the present embodiment, the weight of the fitting plate and the uppermovement frame and loading of the external pressure based on the vacuumsuction of the isolation chamber can be borne by the base via the lowerfixed frame. In this case, the weight of the fitting plate, the pressplate and the upper movement plate and the loading of the externalpressure due to vacuum suction of the isolation chamber are supportedthrough preliminary application of a given negative pressure (backpressure) with the fitting plate/press plate-driving mechanism, so thatthe workpiece needs not be pressed under vacuum based on a differentialpressure between the negative pressure. Therefore, the thrusting forceupon the workpiece with the press plate can be finely adjusted by thefitting plate/press plate-driving unit with a lower pressure.

(4) The fitting plate/press plate driving unit comprises a highthrusting unit and a low thrusting unit; when the press plate movesdownwardly, the upper movement frame and the fitting plate movedownwardly following the press plate, the open end face of the uppermovement frame is butted to that of the lower fixed frame at a pressingposition, the workpiece is pressed by further downwardly moving the pushplate with the low thrusting unit, whereas after a vacuum state of theisolation chamber is broken, the high thrusting unit upwardly moves thepress plate and the press plate upwardly moves the upper movement frameand the fitting plate.

The fitting plate/press plate-driving mechanism uses two thrustingmechanisms with different functions which are the thrusting unit formoving upwardly the press plate, the upper movement frame and thefitting plate and the low thrusting unit for press working, so that inaddition to the effect in (3), the entire apparatus can be more smoothlyoperated, and the thrusting force upon the workpiece with the pressplate can be finely adjusted under low pressure.

(5) The urging means upwardly urges the press plate so that when thepress plate is brought into contact with the workpiece, the urging meansmay prevent weight of the press plate and the heater from being appliedto the workpiece under vacuum.

Since the weight of the press plate and the heater is not applied to theworkpiece by the urging means when the press plate contacts the pressplate, the thrusting force upon the workpiece with the low thrustingunit can be finely adjusted under application of low pressure withhigher accuracy by the low thrusting mechanism.

(6) The urging means is a balancer spring. In this case, the press platewith the heater is hanged by the balancer spring. The balancer springundergoes preliminary initial adjustment depending upon the downwarddistance so that the weight of the press plate and the heater does notact upon the workpiece under vacuum by the urging means when the pressplate preliminarily contacts the workpiece.

(7) The high thrusting unit and the low thrusting unit are a highthrusting cylinder mechanism and a low thrusting cylinder mechanism,respectively, and the high thrusting cylinder mechanism and the lowthrusting cylinder mechanism are arranged coaxially. The high thrustingunit and the low thrusting unit are used and coaxially arranged, so thatthe construction of the vacuum press apparatus can be simplified.

(8) The urging means is the back pressure cylinder mechanism, and thehigh thrusting unit and the low thrusting unit are a high thrustingcylinder mechanism and a low thrusting cylinder mechanism, respectively.The high thrusting cylinder mechanism, the low thrusting mechanism andthe back pressure cylinder mechanism are coaxially arranged. By soconstructing, the construction of the vacuum press apparatus in whichthe thrusting force upon the workpiece with the press plate can befinely adjusted with higher accuracy under application of low pressurecan be simplified.

(9) The driving unit is a servo motor mechanism. The functions of boththe high thrusting unit and the low thrusting unit can be performed bysetting the servo motor mechanism only. Thus, the effects in the above(4) to (6) can be obtained.

(10) The shape of an outer face of the lower fixed frame is almostidentical with that of the upper movement frame, and an inner face ofthe sliding frame is gas-tightly slidable to the outer face of the lowerfixed frame and that of the upper movement frame. By so doing, thesliding frame body can smoothly slide relative to the lower fixed frameand the upper movement frame. Preferably, the shape of the outer face ofthe lower fixed frame and that of the upper movement frame are of analmost identically cylindrical form, and the inner face of the slidingframe body is preferably of such a cylindrical form as to gas-tightlyslide relative to the outer peripheral face of the lower fixed frame andthat of the upper movement frame.

(11) A stepped portion is provided at an outer portion of the open endface of either the lower fixed frame or the upper movement frame, and anend portion of the sliding frame is slid and gas-tightly brought intocontact with said stepped portion. By so constructing, the gas-tightstructure can be more simply formed, because only the stepped portionhas to be worked to gas-tightly slide relative to the sliding framebody.

(12) The sliding mechanism is fitted to the base, and the slidingmechanism vertically moves the sliding frame body via a connection rod.In this case, the sliding frame body is positioned at the side of eitherthe lower fixed frame or the upper movement frame before the formationof the insulation chamber, and the sliding frame body is moved upwardlyor downwardly at the time of the formation of the isolation chamber.

(13) The receiving table and the lower fixed frame are placed on thebase plate via a slide table, the sliding frame is vertically slidablyfitted around an outer peripheral face of the lower fixed frame, and theslide table is movable by a slide table-moving unit between aworkpiece-placing position where the workpiece is placed on thereceiving table and a pressing-waiting position where the workpiece isto be pressed. By so constructing, since the workpiece is fed ourremoved relative to the receiving table at the workpiece-placingposition outside the pressing-waiting position, the products can bespeedily and easily fed and removed at the wide and safety place.

(14) The receiving table, the lower fixed frame, the sliding frame bodyand the table plate on the slide table are fixed as an assembled unit tothe slide table-moving unit, and the assembled unit is movable betweenthe workpiece-placing position and the pressing-waiting position by theslide table-moving unit. By so constructing, the workpiece is easilymovable by using such an assembled unit between the workpiece-placingposition and the pressing-waiting position.

(15) The table plate holds the connection rod above the base, thesliding mechanism is located under the base and has a pushing rod at itsupper portion. When said assembled unit comes to the pressing-waitingposition, the connection rod upwardly moves the sliding frame via thepushing rod.

(16) A first supporting rod supports the receiving table equipped withthe heater while the receiving table is spaced from the base, and asecond supporting rod supports the press plate equipped with the heaterwhile the press plate is spaced from the fitting plate.

(17) A first supporting rod supports the receiving table equipped withthe heater while the receiving table is spaced from the base, and asecond supporting rod supports the press plate equipped with the heaterwhile the press plate is spaced from the fitting plate.

(18) The first rod is supported by the base via theheat-insulating-plate, and the second supporting rod is supported by thefitting plate via the heat-insulating-plate.

Embodiments of the apparatus according to the present invention will beexplained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional front elevation view schematically andentirely illustrating one embodiment of the heating-type vacuum pressapparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, a frame 3is fixed above a base 1 by means of supporting poles 2, and a cylindermechanism 4 is fixed on an upper side of the frame 3. The cylindermechanism 4 comprises a cylinder 4-1, a piston 4-2 slidably fitted inthe cylinder 4-1 and a rod 4-3 connected to the piston 4-2. The rod 4-3is passed through the frame 3, and fixed to a central portion of ahorizontal fitting plate 5 at its lower end. Under the fitting plate 5are successively fixed a heat-insulating-plate 7, an upper heater plate8 and a pressing plate 9 via a plurality of supporting rods 6, which arefixedly hanged. By the above construction, the horizontal pressing plate9 is vertically moved by the operation of the cylinder mechanism 4.

As illustrated, a receiving table 10 as a lower jig, a lower heaterplate 11 and a heat-insulating-plate 12 are attached above the base 1via supporting rods 6, and the receiving table 10 is faced with thepressing plate 9 as a upper jig immediately above. An upper face of thereceiving table 10 is wider than the lower face of the pressing plate 9in lateral and vertical directions.

A lower fixed frame (lower frame ) 13 has a tubular shape having aplanar square shape (or round shape), and fixedly erected from the base1 at such a position as surrounding the receiving table 10 from an outerside thereof and being slightly spaced from the table 10. The lowerfixed frame 13 constitutes a lower wall portion of a vacuum isolationchamber 25 mentioned later.

An upper movement frame (upper frame) 14 is fixedly hanged from thelower face of the fitting plate 5 at such a position as surrounding thepressing plate 9 from an outer side and being slightly spaced from thepressing plate 9. The upper movement frame is vertically moved togetherwith the pressing plate 9 by driving the cylinder mechanism 4. The uppermovement frame 14 has a tubular shape having such a shape and such asize as being in conformity with those of the lower fixed frame 13. Theupper movement frame 14 constitutes an upper wall portion of the vacuumisolation chamber 25 mentioned later.

A gas-tight sliding mechanism, which ensures gas tightness between thelower fixed frame and the upper movement frame, comprises a gas-tightsliding portion 13 a provided at an upper end portion of the lower fixedframe and a gas-tight sliding portion 14 a provided at a correspondinglower end portion of the upper movement frame 14. Gas tightness isensured between the lower fixed frame and the upper movement frame whenthe gas-tight sliding portion 13 a of the upper end portion of the lowerfixed frame is gas-tightly slid relative to the gas-tight slidingportion 14 a of the lower end portion of the upper movement frame. Inthe present embodiment, the cylinder mechanism 4 is used in combinationas a sliding mechanism for driving the gas-tight sliding mechanism.

In this embodiment, an air suction hole 22 is bored in a part of theupper fitting plate 5, and the suction hole is connected to a vacuumpump (not shown) such as oil pump. When the isolation chamber 25 isformed as mentioned later, high-degree vacuum is formed by sucking airinside the isolation chamber 25.

Seal packings such as grease-containing O-rings 24 are provided atnecessary portions of the lower fixed frame 13 and the upper movementframe 14 to enhance gas-tightness of the isolation chamber 25.Heat-insulating-plates 26 such as ceramic plates are provided at innerfaces of the lower fixed frame and the upper movement frame. In thisembodiment, a supporting plate 27 is arranged between the base 1 and thesupporting rods 5.

When a workpiece 23 to be worked is pressed on the receiving table 10under heating and pressure application at high temperature with highvacuum by using the above constructed heating-type vacuum pressapparatus as in the case where a heat-resistant film is to be bonded toa circuit board with a heat-resistant adhesive, the fitting plate isfirst descended by driving the cylinder mechanism 4, a part of thegas-tight sliding portion 13 a provided at the upper end portion of thelower fixed frame is gas-tightly slid to a part 14 a of thecorresponding gas-tight sliding portion 14 provided at the correspondinglower end portion of the upper movement frame 14, and thereby gastightness is ensured between the lower fixed frame and the uppermovement frame. Consequently, the isolation chamber 25 is surroundinglydefined by the base 1, the fitting plate 5, the lower fixed frame 13 andthe upper movement frame 14. In this state, the pressing plate 9 doesnot contact the workpiece 23 yet. Before the press working, the weightof the upper members including the fitting plate is supported byapplying negative pressure with the cylinder mechanism.

The interior of the isolation chamber 25 is sucked to high-degree vacuumby vacuum sucking via the suction hole 22 of the fitting plate 5 bymeans of a vacuum pump (not shown) simultaneously with the formation ofthe isolation chamber. Further, the cylinder mechanism is driven, thegas-tight sliding portion 14 a provided at the lower end portion of theupper movement frame 14 is slid to the gas-tight sliding portion 13 bprovided at the corresponding upper end portion of the lower fixed frame13, and simultaneously with this the pressing plate 9 is descended.Finally, the pressing plate 9 presses the workpiece 23 on the receivingtable 10 in the highly vacuum state. By so doing, the workpiece ispressed under heating through conduction of heat from the upper andlower heating plates 8, 11 heated to high temperatures (e.g., 300-400°C.). Thereby, a given pressing treatment is carried out onto theworkpiece 23° C., for example, a heat-resistant film is thermally pressbonded onto a circuit board completely free from entrainment of airbubbles.

In this embodiment, the isolation chamber is in a high-degree vacuumstate which hinders conduction of heat under vacuum, the seal packings24 in the lower fixed frame 13 and the upper movement frame 14 arespaced from the heaters 8 and 11, respectively, and theheat-insulating-plate 26 is further used. Therefore, the seal packingsdo not undergo high temperatures. Even if the heater portions reach 300to 400° C., the seal packings 24 are at not more than 200, for example.Thus, use of packings of ordinary heat-resistant rubber such as fluorinerubber suffices.

After the termination of the vacuum pressing treatment under heating,the vacuum sucking hole is opened to open air, then the isolationchamber 25 is opened by pulling up the upper moving members includingthe upper moving parts inclosing parts increased by means of the drivingunit 4, the pressed product is taken out, and a workpiece to be nextprocessed is set, and the above operations are repeated.

FIG. 2 is a partially sectional front elevation view schematically andentirely illustrating a second embodiment of the heating-type vacuumpress apparatus according to the present invention, and FIGS. 3 and 4are functionally illustrating views thereof. The same reference numeralsare given to the same or similar parts as in FIG. 1, and explanationthereof will be omitted.

In the present embodiment, a gas-tight sliding mechanism is a slidingframe 15 vertically slidably fitted around the outer peripheral face ofa lower fixed frame 13, and a sliding mechanism is a sliding mechanism16 for vertically sliding the sliding frame. Gas tightness among thelower fixed frame 13, the sliding frame 15 and the upper movement frame14 is ensured by sliding the sliding frame 15 with the sliding mechanism16. An isolation chamber 25 is formed in a space defined by the lowerfixed frame 13, the sliding frame 15, the upper movement frame 14, abase 1 and a fitting plate 5. In this embodiment, a gas-tight slidingmechanism as shown in FIG. 1 is not provided in the upper end portion ofthe lower fixed frame or the corresponding lower end portion of theupper movement frame.

More specifically, a pushing cylinder mechanism 16 is arranged under thebase 1. The pushing cylinder mechanism 16 comprises a cylinder 16-1, apiston 16-2 sliding in the cylinder 16-1, and a rod 16-3 having an upperend fixed to the lower face of the base 1 and a lower end fixed to thepiston 16-2 through a pushup plate 19 having a planar square shape. Thepushing cylinder mechanism 16 is coaxial with a press cylinder mechanism4 located thereabove.

Four connecting rods 20 penetrate the base 1, and connect four cornersof an outward collar 21 formed at an outer periphery of a lower edge ofthe sliding frame 15 with four corners of the underlying pushup plate19. When the rod 16-3 comes in or out relative to the cylinder 16-2 bydriving the underlying pushup cylinder mechanism 16, the pushup plate 9is moved vertically. The sliding frame 15 is vertically slid along thelower fixed frame via the connection rods 20.

When a workpiece 23 is press processed on the receiving table 10 bypressing under heating at high temperature and high-degree vacuum byusing the above-constructed heating-type vacuum press apparatus, as in acase where a heat-resistant film is bonded to a circuit board, forexample, with a heat-resistant adhesive, the pushup cylinder mechanism16 is operated to retract the rod 16-3, the sliding frame 15 is upwardlyslid along the outer periphery of the lower fixed frame 13 via thepushup plate 19 and the connecting rods 20. Consequently, the slidingframe 15 contacts the outer peripheral face of the upper movement frame14 and then further slides upwardly, so that complete closure iseffected between the lower fixed frame 13 and the upper movement frameby the sliding frame body 15. Thereby, an isolation chamber 25 issurrounded and formed by the base 1, the fitting plate 5, the lowerfixed frame 13, the upper moving frame 14 and the sliding frame body 15(See FIG. 3). In FIG. 3, the fitting plate is upwardly urged to be heldat a vertically constant position.

Simultaneously with the formation of the isolation chamber, the interiorof the isolation chamber 25 is sucked to high-degree vacuum by suckingvia the suction hole 22 in the fitting hole 5 by means of a vacuum pump(not shown) (See FIG. 3), and then the pressing plate 9 is descended bydriving the upper cylinder mechanism 4. When the pressing plate 9 isdescended, the upper movement frame 14 is closely slid and descendsalong the inner periphery of the sliding frame body 15. Finally, thepressing plate 9 presses the workpiece 23 on the receiving table 10under high-degree vacuum. Thereby, the workpiece is pressed underheating through conduction of heat from the upper and lower heaterplates 8 and 11 heated to high temperatures (e.g., 300 to 400° C.), sothat the workpiece 23 undergoes given press working such as thermallypress bonding of the heat-resistant film onto the circuit boardcontaining completely no bubbles (See FIG. 4). The weight of the uppermoving portion including the upper movement frame and the heat-equippedpressing plate is supported by stopping air on an exhaust side (on anunder side of the piston) on switching the pressure of the cylindermechanism 4, or by descending the upper moving portion through graduallyevacuating air, or by descending and stopping on the way the uppermoving portion (throttled evacuation), or by feeding oil on the lowerside of the piston and keeping a very small speed or stopping on the way(hydraulic throttling).

In the present embodiment, each of the seal packings 24 of the lowerfixed frame 13, the upper movement frame 15 and the sliding frame body15 is spaced from the heater portions 8 and 11, and theheat-insulating-materials 7 and 12 and the heat-emitting plate 26 areused. Thus, the seal packings do not reach high temperatures. Even ifthe heater portions reach 300 to 400° C., the seal packings 21 are atnot more than 200° C., for example. Thus, use of packings of ordinaryheat-resistant rubber such as fluorine rubber suffices.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the heating-type vacuum pressapparatus according to the present invention. As the sliding frame bodyis raised by driving the pushup cylinder 16, an upper end of the slidingframe body 15 closely slidably contacts a stepped portion 14 a formed atan outer peripheral portion of the lower end of the upper movement frame14, not the outer peripheral face of the upper movement frame 14.Thereby, an isolation chamber 25 is formed.

When the isolation chamber 25 is formed in this way, vacuum sucking isimmediately effected through the suction hole 22 of the fitting plate 5and simultaneously the pressing plate 9 is descended by driving thecylinder mechanism 4. At that time, the cylinder mechanism 4 may beturned to an open state (off). Since the interior of the isolationchamber 25 is in high vacuum, there is little possibility that thesliding frame body descends due to its self weight. The pushup cylindermechanism 16 has only to be continuously driven in a direction ofraising the sliding frame body 15, so that evacuation is graduallyeffected. Since the pressure of the cylinder mechanism 4 is far greaterthan that of the pushup cylinder mechanism 16, the upper movement frame14 can push down the sliding frame body 15 against the pushup cylindermechanism 16.

By this, the workpiece 23 on the receiving table 10 is pressed with thepressing plate 9 under heating at high temperature in the state that theinterior of the isolation chamber 25 is held under high-degree vacuum.Thereby, the workpiece 23 undergoes a given press working such asthermal press bonding.

FIG. 6 shows a fourth embodiment according to the present invention. Inthe first to third embodiments, the workpiece 23 needs to be fed to ortaken out from the receiving table 10 as the lower jig through betweenthe pressing plate and the receiving table in the heated condition inthe state that the pressing plate is upwardly retracted. Even if thepress apparatus is in the opened state, there is a danger in workingsuch as burn injury because the space between the pressing plate and thereceiving table is small. According to the fourth embodiment, a lowerassembly of a receiving table 10, a lower heater 11, a lower fixed frame13, a sliding frame body 15, etc. is arranged above a base 1, so thatthe lower assembly is horizontally moved to a workpiece-placing locationB outside a pressing-waiting position A. Therefore, the workpiece 23 canbe fed and removed speedily and easily at the wide and safetyworkpiece-placing location.

In FIG. 6, a slide table 31 is arranged on a guide table 32 placed on abase 1, and a horizontally moving cylinder 33 is attached to a sideportion of the guide table 32. A tip of a rod of the horizontally movingcylinder mechanism 33 is fixed to such a side portion of the slide table31 as opposed to a moving direction thereof. The slide table 31 ishorizontally movable on the guide table 32 between the pressing-waitingposition A and the workpiece-placing position B under the cylindermechanism 4 by driving the horizontally moving cylinder 33.

A table plate 34 is fixed on an upper face of the slide table 31 suchthat the table plate extends beyond the table 31 in lateral andlongitudinal directions as viewed in the paper face. On the table plate34 are provided a receiving table 10 equipped with a lower heater plate11 and a lower fixed frame 13 and a sliding frame body 15 outside thereceiving table as constructed in the same manner as in the embodimentof FIG. 2. Connection rods 20 are fixedly hanged from an outward collarof the sliding frame body 15, and passed through front and rear extendedportions of the table plate 34. Lower ends of the connection rods areurged onto an upper face of the base by respective compression springs35, so that the sliding frame body is always downwardly urged.

Four pushup rods 36 are erected from four corners of the pushup plate19, and their tip portions are inserted through holes provided in thebase 1, and contacted with lower end faces of the connection rods 20.The lower pushup cylinder mechanism 16 is driven to push the rod 16-3into or out of the cylinder 16-1 via the cylinder piston 16-2, so thatthe pushup plate 19 is vertically slidably moved to ascend or descendthe pushup rod, thereby vertically slide the sliding frame body 15 alongthe lower fixed frame via the connecting rod 20.

According to the vacuum press apparatus of FIG. 6, a rod of thehorizontally moving cylinder mechanism 33 on a side is extendedoutwardly to slidably move the slide table 31 from the pressing-waitingposition A under the cylinder 4 to the workpiece-placing position B onthe outer side (to the left in FIG. 6), and a workpiece 23 is placed onthe receiving table 10 at this position B. Next, the slide table isreturned immediately under the cylinder mechanism 4 by the abovecylinder mechanism 33, and the sliding frame body 15 around the outerperiphery of the lower fixed frame 13 is slid up by the pushup cylindermechanism 16 via the pushup rod 36 and the connection rod 20 at aposition where the connecting rod 20 is aligned with the pushup rod 36.Then, an upper portion of the sliding frame body 15 is contacted andslid to the outer periphery of the upper movement frame 14, and anisolation chamber 25 is formed inside them. Thereafter, the interior ofthe insulation chamber 25 is sucked to high vacuum, and the cylindermechanism 4 is driven to descend the pressing plate 9, which makes givenpressing treatment on the workpiece 23 on the receiving table 10 underheating.

In the apparatus of FIG. 6, it goes without saying that instead of thesystem in which the sliding frame body 15 is raised to slide contactwith the outer periphery of the upper movement frame 14, a steppedportion may be formed at a lower peripheral edge of the upper movementframe 14 so that an upper end of the sliding frame body 15 may come andgas-tightly slide into the stepped portion.

After the termination of the predetermined press working, the isolationchamber 25 is released to the atmospheric pressure, the pushup cylinder16 is driven back (extension of the rod), the sliding frame body 15 ispulled down to a descending end by the spring force of the compressionspring 35. Then, the horizontally moving cylinder mechanism 33 is drivento move the slide table 31 from the pressing-waiting position A to theworkpiece-placing position B on the side (left side). The press workedworkpiece 23 on the receiving table 10 is removed, and a fresh workpieceis set on the receiving table.

According to the above construction of the apparatus of the presentinvention, the isolation chamber having a high-degree vacuum can beeasily formed by the vertically movable sliding frame body at theposition spaced from the upper and lower heater portions, so that evenif the upper and lower heaters are always at high temperatures, theworkpieces can be easily and safely fed and removed in the opened statethat the sliding frame body is descended.

When the lower jig portion is mounted on the slide table as in theapparatus of FIG. 6, the product can be automatically fed to or removedfrom the receiving table at the place outside the pressing unit. Thus,the pressing working can be entirely automated.

FIG. 7 is a partially broken front elevation view of a fifth embodimentof the heating-type vacuum press apparatus according to the presentinvention, and FIGS. 8 a and 8 b and FIGS. 9 a and 9 b are functionallyillustrating views thereof. In this embodiment, a pressing plate isupwardly urged by a balancing cylinder mechanism for exclusive usethereof, and the weight of the pressing plate and a heater is preventedfrom being applied to a workpiece by the balancing cylinder mechanismwhen the pressing plate contacts the workpiece. In the following,featuring portions of this embodiment will be explained, whileexplanation of overlapping portions is omitted.

In the present embodiment, a driving unit 104, which is arranged on asupporting frame 3, comprises a high-pressure, large-diameter pull-upcylinder mechanism 104-1, a medium-pressure, medium-diameter balancingcylinder mechanism 104-2 and a low-pressure, small-diameter pressurizingcylinder mechanism 104-3, which are placed one upon another successivelyin series. Each cylinder comprises a cylinder, a piston and a pistonrod. The piston rods are connected together in series via the piston. Inthis embodiment, the high-pressure cylinder mechanism, themedium-pressure cylinder mechanism and the low-pressure cylindermechanism are successively placed one upon another from the lower to theupper sides. This arranging order may be arbitrary changed. Further, inthis embodiment, the piston rods are fixedly connected together, butthey may be separated from one another so long as they are arrangedcoaxially.

A fitting plate 5 is pulled up by the pull-up cylinder mechanism 104-1via a supporting plate 105. In the figure, a lower end of the rod 104-1of the pull-up cylinder mechanism and the supporting plate 105 areconnected with a shank (connecting jig) 107. The shank 107 isgas-tightly slidable through a through-hole of the fitting plate. InFIG. 7, a reference numeral 108 denotes a compression spring fittedaround a guide post between the supporting frame 3 and the fitting plate5.

In the following, the pull-up cylinder 104-1, the medium-pressurecylinder mechanism 104-2 and the low-pressure cylinder 104-3.

After the vacuum is broken by sliding the sliding frame body, followingthe given pressing treatment under heating inside vacuum isolationchamber, the pull-up cylinder mechanism 104-1 pulls up the entire uppermoving portion including the fitting plate 5, the upper movement frame14, the supporting plate 105, the supporting rods 6, theheat-insulating-plate 7, the upper heater 8 and the pressing plate 9.

The medium-pressure balancing cylinder mechanism 104-2 is controlled toexert such a back pressure as to support the total weight of the movingportion movable under the fitting plate 5, that is, the supporting plate105 and the supporting rods 6, the heat-insulating-plate 7, the heater8, the pressing plate 9 (as well as the cylinder rod 104-1 a, the shank107), etc. under vacuum. In this case, it may be that the back pressureof the balancing cylinder mechanism is made slightly larger than thetotal weight to exert a force in a hanging-up direction. Themedium-pressure balancing cylinder mechanism 104-2 makes balancing withthe above total weight.

The low-pressure cylinder mechanism 104-3 presses the working piece 23on the receiving table 10 under vacuum heating. Since themedium-pressure balancing cylinder mechanism 104-2 makes balancing withthe total weight of the pressing plate 9, etc., a slight pressingpressure of the low-pressure cylinder mechanism is applied to thepressing plate 9 as it is.

The present embodiment is particularly suitable for workpieces whichdislike cracking breakage, performance damaging, non-uniform thicknessand adhesive smudge, as in cases of laminating and bondingchip-containing IC cards, vapor-deposited film condenser films, thinglass liquid crystal displays, soft ceramic green sheets, etc.

Operation of the present embodiment will be explained.

First, a workpiece 23 is placed on the receiving table 10, theunderlying pushup cylinder mechanism 16 is driven to retract the rod16-4 into the cylinder 16-1 and thereby slidingly raise the slidingframe body 15 along the outer peripheral face of the lower fixed frame13 via the connecting rods. The upper end of the sliding frame body 15contacts the lower end of the upper movement frame 1, and further slidesup to make complete closure between the lower fixed frame 13 and theupper movement frame 14. Thereby, the isolation chamber 25 is formed bythe base 1, the lower fixed frame 13, the sliding frame body 15, theupper movement frame 14 and the fitting plate 5.

In this state, a back pressure is applied to the balancing cylindermechanism 104-2 to float the upper moving portion, whereas the pull-upcylinder mechanism 104-1 and the low-pressure pressing cylindermechanism 104-3 are released, and the interior of the isolation chamber25 is sucked to vacuum via the suction hole 22 of the fitting plate 5 bymeans of a vacuum pump (not shown). Thereby, the upper movement frame 14and the fitting plate 5 descend due to their self weights andvacuum-sucking force, and the lower end face of the upper frame 14 presscontacts the upper end face of the lower fixed frame 13. See FIG. 8 b.While air is blown into the balancing cylinder 104-2 from an underside,only an output to support the moving portion vertically movableseparately from the fitting plate 5 and the upper movement frame body,i.e., the heater-equipped pressing plate 9, the supporting plate 105,etc. inside the upper movement frame 14 is applied to the cylindermechanism 104. Thus, the self weights of the fitting plate 15 and theupper movement frame 14 cannot be supported, so that the entire uppermoving portion descends due to the vacuum suction force and the selfweights.

Even if the lower end face of the upper movement frame 14 press contactsthe upper end face of the lower fixed frame 13, the pressing plate 9does not contact the workpiece 23 yet. See FIG. 8 b. However, theinterior of the isolation chamber 25 which is being sucked to vacuum inthis state is in high-degree vacuum, any bubble in the workpiece isremoved.

Next, while the pull-up cylinder mechanism 104-1 is kept opened, theupper small-diameter, low-pressure pressing cylinder mechanism 104-3 isdriven to push down the supporting plate 105 under the fitting plate 5.Thereby, the pressing plate 9 is contacted with the workpiece 23, whichis pressed under vacuum, while being heated. See FIG. 9 a. At that time,since the weight of the pressing plate 9, the supporting plate 105, etc.is held by the balancing cylinder mechanism 104-2, that weight does notexert upon the workpiece 23 at all under vacuum, and only a thrustingforce of the low-pressure pressing cylinder mechanism exerts upon theworkpiece. The workpiece 23 can be pressed under extremely low pressureby appropriately selecting the low-pressure pressing cylinder mechanism.

As mentioned above, after the pressing treatment of the working piece 23under heating in bonding a film under low pressing pressure, forexample, is completed, vacuum suction via the suction hole 22 isstopped, and the isolation chamber 25 is immediately returned to theatmospheric pressure. Further, the pushup cylinder mechanism 16 isreversely driven to extend the rod 16-3 outwardly and slide down thesliding frame body 15 to the original position. Furthermore,simultaneously with this, the upper low-pressure pressing cylinder 14-3is reversely driven to contact the supporting plate 105 hanging thepressing plate 9 with the lower face of the pressing plate 5. Further,the pull-up cylinder 104-1 is driven to pull up the fitting plate 5 (SeeFIG. 9 b), and return it to the original position as shown in FIG. 7.

The pull-up cylinder mechanism 104-1 is principally used to pull up theentire upper moving portion. Depending upon workpieces, a furtherpressing with a greater thrusting force under pressure may be requiredafter low-pressure pressing under heating with the low-pressure pressingcylinder mechanism. In such a case, the pull-up cylinder mechanism 104-1may be driven in a pull-down direction.

According to this embodiment, the cylinder mechanism on the upper sideof the supporting frame is a cylinder mechanism in which the pull-upcylinder mechanism 104-1 for pulling upwardly the entire upper movingportion, the balancing cylinder mechanism 104-2 and the low-pressurepressing cylinder mechanism 104-3 are vertically in series. Since thepressing members such as the heater-equipped pressing plate 9, itssupporting plate 105, etc., which are separately driven inside the uppermovement frame 14, are always supported by the balancing cylinder 104-2,the workpiece 23 can be pressed with an extremely low pressure by thelow-pressure pressing cylinder mechanism 104-3 under vacuum, while beingheated.

FIG. 10 is a partially sectional elevation view of a sixth embodiment ofthe heating-type vacuum press apparatus according to the presentinvention, and FIGS. 11 a and 11 b and FIGS. 12 a and 12 b areschematically illustrating views of its operations. In the fifthembodiment, the weight of the moving portion inside the upper movementframe is supported by the balancing cylinder mechanism under the fittingplate. The sixth embodiment differs from the fifth one in that theformer uses a balancing spring mechanism instead of the balancingcylinder mechanism. The other constituent features are identical betweenthe fifth and sixth embodiments. In the following, only constituentfeatures of the sixth embodiment which differ from those of the fifthone will be explained.

In the sixth embodiment, the driving unit 104 comprises a pull-upcylinder mechanism 104-1 and a low-pressure pressing cylinder 104-3.Four balancing spring mechanisms 130 are provided, which gas-tightlypass a fitting plate 5 and a supporting plate 105 at four corners,respectively. Each spring mechanism 130 possesses an opposite endslippage-preventing end (for example, a head portion 130 a of a bolt andan adjusting nut 130 b positioned in an upper portion), a guide rod 130c gas-tightly passing through the fitting plate 5 and the supportingplate 105, and a compression spring 130 d coiled around the guide rodbetween the fitting plate 5 and the adjusting nut 130 b at the end ofthe guide rod 130 c.

In the present embodiment, the entire weight of the moving portion (asupporting plate 105, the supporting rod 6, a heat-insulating-plate 7,an upper heater 8 and a pressing plate 9) inside the upper movementframe under and by the fitting plate 5 by the balancing spring mechanism130. The supporting plate 105 is upwardly urged to always contact anunder face of the fitting plate 5. The holding force is adjustable bythe adjusting nut 130 of the guide rod 130 c.

In this embodiment, the compression spring 130 d is coiled around theguide rod between the fitting plate 5 and the adjusting nut 130 d of theguide rod 130 a. The compression spring may be coiled between the lowerface of the fitting plate 5 and the head portion 130 a of the rod 130.

Next, the operation of the sixth embodiment will be explained.

After a workpiece 23 is placed on the receiving table 10, the slidingframe body 15 is slid upwardly along the outer peripheral face of thelower fixed frame 13 to make complete closure between the lower fixedframe 13 and the upper movement frame 14. Thereby, an isolation chamber25 is formed by the base 1, the lower fixed frame 13, the sliding framebody 15, the upper movement frame 14 and the fitting plate 5. See FIG.11 a.

In this state, the moving portion including the pressing plate 9 insidethe upper movement frame is held under and by the fitting plate 5 bymeans of the balancing spring mechanism 130. The entire upper movingportion including the moving portion, the fitting plate 5, etc. is heldby the pull-up cylinder mechanism 104-1 while being urged upwardly. SeeFIG. 11 a.

Next, as shown in FIG. 11 b, the pull-up cylinder mechanism 104-1 andthe low-pressure pressing cylinder mechanism 104-3 are released, andsimultaneously the interior of the insulation chamber 25 is sucked tovacuum via the suction hole 22 of the fitting plate 5 with a vacuum pump(not shown). Thereby, the upper movement frame 14 and the fitting plate5 descend due to their self weights and the vacuum suction force, sothat the lower end face of the upper movement frame 14 contacts theupper end face of the lower fixed frame 13. See FIG. 11 b.

Even when the lower end face of the upper movement frame 14 contacts theupper end face of the lower fixed frame 13, the pressing plate 9 doesnot contact the workpiece 23 yet. In this state, since the interior ofthe isolation chamber 25 which is being sucked to vacuum is inhigh-degree vacuum, any bubble in the workpiece 23 is removed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12 b, while the pull-up cylinder mechanism 104-1is kept released, the upper small-diameter, low-pressure pressingcylinder mechanism 104-3 is driven to push down the supporting plate 105under the fitting plate 15, so that the pressing plate 9 is contactedwith the workpiece 23 and the workpiece is pressed with low presspressure under vacuum, while being heated. See FIG. 12 a. At that time,since the weights of the pressing plate 9, the supporting plate 105,etc. are held at the fitting plate 5 by means of the balancing springmechanism 130, none of their weights act upon the workpiece 23, and onlya thrusting force of the low-pressure pressing cylinder mechanism 104-3is applied thereto.

After the pressing treatment of the workpiece 23 under heating, such asbonding of a film with low press pressure is completed, vacuum suckingthrough the suction hole 22 is stopped, the isolation chamber 22 isimmediately returned to the atmospheric pressure, and the sliding framebody 15 is downwardly slid to its original position. Further, thesupporting plate 105 hanging the pressing plate 9 is contacted with thelower face of the fitting plate 5 by the balancing cylinder mechanism130, and the pull-up cylinder 104-1 is driven to pull up the fittingplate 5 (See FIG. 12 b) to the original position shown in FIG. 10.

According to this embodiment, the cylinder mechanism on the upper sideof the supporting frame is a cylinder mechanism in which the pull-upcylinder mechanism 104-1 for pulling up the entire upper moving portionand the low-pressure pressing cylinder mechanism 104-3 are verticallyarranged in series, and the moving portion under the fitting plate 5 isalways upwardly held by the spring mechanism inside the upper movementframe 14. Thus, when the workpiece is to be pressed with thelow-pressure pressing cylinder mechanism 104-3, pressing can beperformed with an extremely low thrusting force under vacuum, whilebeing heated.

FIG. 13 is a partially sectional elevation view of a seventh embodimentof the heating-type vacuum press apparatus according to the presentinvention. This embodiment is the same as the sixth one except that thecylinder mechanism 104 in the sixth embodiment of FIG. 10 is replaced bya servo motor mechanism 200. In the following, only the servo motormechanism will be explained. The servo motor mechanism 200 is supportedon a frame 3, and comprises a servo motor portion 201, a spindle 202 andcylinder 203 extended downwardly from the servo motor portion. A malescrew provided at an outer periphery of the spindle 202 meshes with afemale screw of the cylinder portion 203. The cylinder portion 203vertically slidably passes a hub portion 204 attached to a central holeof the frame 3 by a key 205. A shank 107 is connected to a lower end ofthe cylinder 203.

Since the construction of the servo motor is well known, detailedexplanation thereof is omitted. The servo motor generally comprisesthree constituent parts: a motor, an encoder, and a driver. Rotations ofthe servo motor are converted to vertically linear motions throughscrewing between the spindle 202 and the cylinder portion. In thisembodiment, the servo motor 200 is set and controlled to function as thepull-up cylinder mechanism 104-1 and the low-pressure pressing cylinder104-3 in the sixth embodiment. As to details of the function, see thatof the sixth embodiment.

1. A heating-type vacuum press apparatus, comprising: (1) a base; (2) aworkpiece-receiving table arranged on the base and equipped with aheater; (3) a lower fixed frame arranged on the base such that the lowerfixed frame surrounds the receiving table, while being spaced from thereceiving table; (4) a press plate opposed to the receiving table andequipped with a heater; (5) a fitting plate from which the press plateis hanged; (6) a fitting plate/press plate driving mechanism adapted forvertically moving the fitting plate and the press plate and pressing thepress plate on the workpiece on the receiving table by moving down thefitting plate and the press plate; (7) an upper movement frame hangedfrom the fitting plate such that the upper movement frame surrounds thepress plate, while being spaced from the press plate, open end faces ofthe upper movement frame and the lower fixed frame being opposed to eachother, and the upper movement frame being approachable to or space fromthe lower fixed frame; (8) a gas-tight sliding mechanism for ensuringgas-tightness between the lower fixed frame and the upper movementframe, an isolation chamber being defined by the lower fixed frame, theupper movement frame, the base and the fitting plate through thegas-tight sliding mechanism; (9) a sliding mechanism for driving thegas-tight sliding mechanism, the sliding mechanism sliding the gas-tightsliding mechanism to form the isolation chamber; and (10) a suction holeopened to the isolation chamber and adapted to be connected to a vacuumdevice, the isolation chamber being sucked to vacuum via the suctionhole, wherein said gas-tight sliding mechanism is a sliding frame bodyvertically slidable fitted around an outer peripheral face of either thelower fixed frame or the upper movement frame, said sliding mechanism isa sliding mechanism adapted to vertically slide the sliding frame body,gas tightness is ensured among the fixed frame, the sliding frame bodyand the upper movement frame by sliding the sliding frame body with thesliding mechanism, and the isolation chamber is formed in a spacedefined by the lower fixed frame body, the sliding frame, the uppermovement frame, the base and the fitting plate.
 2. (canceled) 3.(canceled)
 4. The heating-type vacuum press apparatus set forth in claim1, wherein the press plate is connected to the fitting/press platedriving unit; when the driving unit presses the pressing plate presseddownwardly the fitting plate and the upper movement plate movedownwardly due to self weights thereof following the press plate, theopen end face of the upper movement frame is butted with that of thelower fixed plate at a pressing position; then said driving unit furthermoves the press plate to press the workpiece; whereas when the drivingunit pushes the pressing plate upwardly the lower pressing plateupwardly moves the upper movement frame and the fitting plate.
 5. Theheating-type vacuum apparatus set forth in claim 4, wherein the fittingplate/press plate driving unit comprises a high thrusting unit and a lowthrusting unit; when the press plate moves downwardly, the uppermovement frame and the fitting plate move downwardly following the pressplate, the open end face of the upper movement frame is butted to thatof the lower fixed frame at a pressing position, the workpiece ispressed by further downwardly moving the push plate with the lowthrusting unit, whereas after a vacuum state of the isolation chamber isbroken, the high thrusting unit upwardly moves the press plate and thepress plate upwardly moves the upper movement frame and the fittingplate.
 6. The heating-type vacuum apparatus set forth in claim 4,wherein urging means upwardly urges the press plate so that when thepress plate is brought into contact with the workpiece, the urging meansmay prevent weight of the press plate and the heater onto the workpieceunder vacuum.
 7. The heating-type vacuum apparatus set forth in claim 4,wherein the urging means is a balancer spring.
 8. The heating-typevacuum press apparatus set forth in claim 6, wherein the high thrustingunit and the low thrusting unit are a high thrusting cylinder mechanismand a low thrusting cylinder mechanism, respectively, the urging meansis a back pressure cylinder mechanism, and the high thrusting cylindermechanism, the low thrusting cylinder mechanism and the back pressurecylinder mechanism are arranged coaxially.
 9. The heating-type vacuumpress apparatus set forth in claim 7, wherein said driving unit is aservo motor mechanism.
 10. (canceled)
 11. The heating-type vacuum pressapparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein a stepped portion is provided atan outer portion of the open end face of either the lower fixed frame orthe upper movement frame, and an end portion of the sliding frame isslid and brought into contact with said stepped portion.
 12. Theheating-type vacuum press apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein thesliding mechanism is fitted to the base, and the sliding mechanismvertically moves the sliding frame via a connection rod.
 13. Theheating-type vacuum press apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein thereceiving table and the lower fixed frame are placed on the base platevia a slide table, the sliding frame is vertically slidably fittedaround an outer peripheral face of the lower fixed frame, and the slidetable is movable by a slide table-moving unit between aworkpiece-placing position where the workpiece is placed on thereceiving table and a pressing-waiting position where the workpiece isto be pressed.
 14. The heating-type vacuum press apparatus set forth inclaim 13, wherein the receiving table, the lower fixed frame, thesliding frame and the table plate on the slide table are fixed as anassembled unit to the slide table-moving unit, and the assembled unit ismovable between the workpiece-placing position and the pressing-waitingposition by the slide table-moving unit.
 15. The heating-type vacuumpress apparatus set forth in claim 14, wherein the table plate holds theconnection rod on the base, the sliding mechanism is located under thebase and has a pushing rod, and when said assembled unit comes to thepressing-waiting position, the connection rod upwardly moves the slidingframe via the pushing rod.
 16. The heating-type vacuum press apparatusset forth in claim 1, wherein a first supporting rod supports thereceiving table equipped with the heater while the receiving table isspaced from the base, and a second supporting rod supports the pressplate equipped with the heater while the press plate is spaced from thefitting plate.
 17. The heating-type vacuum press apparatus set forth inclaim 1, wherein a first supporting rod supports the receiving tableequipped with the heater while the receiving table is spaced from thebase, and a second supporting rod supports the press plate equipped withthe heater while the press plate is spaced from the fitting plate.